The Alliance for American Leadership invites you to a reception to celebrate Congressman Sam Gejdenson's dedication to American leadership and international assistance. The address of the event will be sent upon RSVP.

Congressman Sam Gejdenson represented Connecticut's Second District, including Old Lyme, from 1981 to 2001. Born in a displaced persons camp in Eschwege, Allied-occupied Germany, Congressman Gejdenson always believed in the importance of American leadership and humanitarian values.

Gejdenson served as Ranking Member of the House International Relations Committee, where he initiated U.S. funding for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), authored legislation to combat international human trafficking, and helped restore funding for the United Nations Population Fund. UNAIDS-led efforts and the broader global HIV response have saved an estimated 26.9 million lives worldwide - a success to which Congressman Gejdenson made a key contribution.

He also served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Interior Committee, where he oversaw the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Today, Gejdenson serves on the board of directors of the National Democratic Institute, advancing efforts to strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness, and accountability.

The event will be hosted by Andrea Fenton, a former USAID and Peace Corps employee, and Mark Miller, a nurse practitioner and public health advocate.

Who We Are
The Alliance for American Leadership (A4AL) is a nationwide volunteer movement working to restore America’s role as a force for good in the world. We believe principled U.S. leadership and smart international assistance are not only moral imperatives—they are vital to our security, prosperity, and standing on the world stage.

That mission has never been more urgent.

On January 24, 2025, the United States cut off access to food, medicine, and education for 120 million people around the world. Since then, more than 340,000 lives have been lost.

Among them was Peter Donde, a 10-year-old boy who died after losing access to life-saving HIV medication. Unless these humanitarian programs are restored, a new study in The Lancet warns that as many as 14 million people could die by 2030.

We can’t - and won’t - let that happen without a fight.

That’s why A4AL has already mobilized more than 650 grassroots leaders across 46 states to write op-eds, organize their communities, and meet directly with members of Congress.

But we cannot do this alone.

A4AL is powered entirely by volunteers. Every member of our team, including leadership, serves without pay. This ensures that 100% of your support goes directly to the work that matters most: advocacy, communications, and voter registration.

We need to raise $25,000 to keep this movement going - to elevate young, diverse, working-class leaders too often excluded from policy conversations. Your donation helps us keep the pressure on Congress - and keep hope alive for millions.

By 2026, we are on track to mobilize 10,000 advocates and build the infrastructure needed to restore global development programs.

This is our moment to act. To lead with purpose. To show the world what American values truly mean.

Join us. Be the voice Congress can’t ignore.

Visit us at: https://a4al.org/

Lifetime Achievement Award for Congressman Sam Gejdenson

Team Members